You can’t visit Nashville without seeing a show at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium.

The imposing brick building was built as a church by steamboat Captain and entrepreneur Thomas Ryman as the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892.

Ryman died in 1904 and the church was renamed in his honor.

Overtime the church began to host music of a secular nature and Lula C. Naff became the manager of the Ryman and began booking the new music coming from around Nashville: country and bluegrass.

In 1943, the Ryman became the home of the radio broadcast the Grand Ole Opry. The 2,362 pew venue was the home of the Opry until 1974. The last Opry show was on Friday March 15, 1974.

The show, which turns 100 this years, moved to Music Valley where the show’s produced in a building replicated on the Ryman. A circle of the original white oak Ryman stage now sits dead center on the new stage in honor of all the legends that graced the Ryman stage.

At the height of his fame, Johnny Cash was offered a prime time music variety show. The producers wanted the show filmed in Los Angeles or New York but Cash stood firm and wanted the show tapped in Nashville at the Ryman. The Johnny Cash show ran for 58 episodes between June 1969 and March 1971.

The Ryman was showing its age and was falling apart and in need of renovation. There was talk of demolishing the Mother Church but one singer with an angelic voice started the movement to save the Ryman. Her name, Emmylou Harris.

Emmylou recorded a live bluegrass album with the Nash Ramblers at the Ryman. This 1992 album was titled At the Ryman and the album won a Grammy for Best County Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

The success of the album renewed interest of live music at the Ryman and this led to the renovation of the historic auditorium.

On Thursday I bought a ticket to see Mary Chapin Carpenter at the Ryman.

Coda: Golden Gate Park

I returned from Nashville on a Friday and five blocks to the north of my Sunset digs is Golden Gate Park and this weekend was the 25th Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.

On Sunday I came to see the musical legend that closed the show on the Banjo main stage.

In a satisfying turn of fate the performer was the savior of the Ryman, Emmylou Harris!